Android Product User Guide

User Guide
SmartTruckRoute Android Navigation App for Truck Drivers
Introduction:
Installation - Activation
Download SmartTruckRoute from Google Play.
Use the app free of charge from 1-2 PM and 1-2 AM EST, daily. Purchase a subscription outside of those
times to continuously use the app for an unlimited number of route requests and navigation.
First Use
The first time you start the app you will see some announcements, tips and warnings. Tips will also
display for some features when viewing a new page. If you need to view the tips again, go to Program
Settings and tap "Reset Tips and Messages". When you are done viewing the messages
SmartTruckRoute will bring up the search screen that allows you to route to a destination by typing or
speaking the address or searching through points of interest.
Search Screens
The search screen will help with setting up a route. To start typing in a destination tap the magnifying
glass which will bring up the find screen. Addresses can be typed in numerous ways, but to get the exact
location with the minimal typing we suggest the street address followed by the postal code as shown
below.
Figure 1. Search Main Screen (left), Find Screen (center & right)
Recents - In addition to typing an address the main screen will also have a list of recent addresses to
choose from.
Favorites - Swiping left from the "Recents" will display a list of Favorites (favorites can be saved by
pressing and holding on any result and choosing the save option). "Favorites" can also be backed up and
restored by using the green icon near to the right of the search bar (Figure 2).
Closures - Swiping right from "Recents" will display a list of Closures along with the duration. Tapping a
closure will zoom the maps to that location while tapping other results in recent and favorites will start
to calculate a route to that location.
Figure 2. Closures list (left), Favorites list (center), Favorite Backup/Restore options (right)
Microphone - The buttons on the top of the search screen include this to voice the address.
Magnifying Glass - Tap the magnifying glass to type the address or search through points of interests.
Group - Tap the group icon to search through contacts on your smart phone.
Map - The map icon will display the current location without creating a route.
Figure 3. Microphone selected (left), Contacts selected (center), Tools selected (right)
Routing Preferences
Selecting the tool option on the lower right corner will bring up several settings for changing routes, tolls
and vehicle specifications.
Route Type - These can be changed between several truck and car routes. The default will be Truck
(quickest). In general, quickest will give the best routes, but this can be changed if freeways or shortcuts
need to be followed more.
Toll Settings - Tolls will also be allowed by default and the vehicle settings will be set up for a standard
US semi-trailer by default (Figure 4 right).
Vehicle Specifications - Height, length, width, weight, and hazmat can all be edited in either English or
metric units. Please input the total length of any combined vehicles.
Figure 4. Route Type options (left), Toll Settings (center), Vehicle Settings (right)
Map Screens
The SmartTruckRoute map screen will display the current location as well as a button to pull out the
action bar which will have the following options:
Brightness - Dragging the maps will change the buttons to the brightness setting and menu (Fig. 5 right
screen). Tap the brightness button to change from lowest to brightness and "auto".
Traffic - Toggles traffic on/off. See the Program Settings section for an example.
Map View - Toggles between Map View/Satellite View. See the Program Settings section for an example.
Report Incident - The button with the exclamation point will bring up the Report Incident options.
Microphone - The microphone button will allow the user to say the destination into the microphone.
Dragging the map will also bring up a red cursor button on the right side and zooming buttons on the
bottom. Press the cursor to center the maps around the current location again. If there is a route
already displayed on the screen, pushing the red cursor will activate navigation mode.
Figure 5. Locked in screen (left), Action bar (center), Reporting options (right)
Menu - Tapping on the menu button (Figure 5 center) on the bottom will bring up the options: New
Route, Points of Interest, Program Settings, and Help. The Program Settings will bring up the options for
map display, route settings and reroute settings. The New Route option will bring you back to the search
screen to type in an address. Clicking on "Points of Interest" will allow you to search for truck stops, rest
areas, gas stations, and more, that are nearby or in a particular city.
Select Point on Map - Addresses and points of interest can also be selected using the map screen. To
route to or through (Route Via) a certain point on the map, tap and hold on the desired via point
location and an orange arrow will appear next to the point plus address information and route options
on the bottom of the screen (Figure 6 center). Via points can also be selected from any of the points of
interest appearing on the map.
Select Point of Interest - Tap once on the icon of the point, the point will then be highlighted, the point
information will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. In the case of truck stops, additional
information will also displayed including the number of showers, WiFi, truck stop electrification (TSE),
repairs, scales, and truck wash availability, (Figure 6 right). If there is more than one point in the same
location, an option will come up to choose from a list of points.
Tap Point
of Interest
Tap Menu
Tap and
hold map
Figure 6. Menu options (left), Location options (center), Point of Interest options (right)
After clicking on a result on the search screen or clicking one of the "Route To"/"Route Via" options on
the map screen the app will say it is requesting a route.
Navigation Mode - After calculating the route it will bring the screen into navigation mode with panels
over the map to help direct through the route. The blue panels will show the next turn instruction as
well as the distance to the turn and a turning arrow. Tap and hold thsese panels for one second to bring
up Route Details. The smaller panels hold different info like distance remaining and current speed (with
the roads speed limit if available) (Figure 7 left). Click on the smaller right panel to see the other options
including heading, odometer, state odometer, time remaining, and estimated time of arrival.
Instructions - To repeat any turning instructions just tap on any of the other panels. Turning lanes will
also be displayed for some highways with the lanes making the turn in white and the rest grayed out
(Figure 7 left).
Reroute - The app will reroute if you vear off course automatically (as a default setting). This can be
turned off however (in Program Settings) and tapping the circular arrow on the top right of the screen
will manually reroute to the destination.
If you need to view some part of the map nearby you can drag on the map screen to go from naviagtion
mode to map mode. To go back to navigation mode just click the red cursor button on the right of the
screen (Figure 7 center).
Tap on Map
Tap then press Menu
Figure 7. Nav mode with green lane assist panel (left), Map mode (center), Map menu (right)
Map Menu - The map menu will appear if you tap the map screen. Without a route plotted it will show
four options: New Route, Points of Interest, Program Settings, and Help. After the route is plotted it will
add two more options: Route Details and Clear Route (Figure 7 right).
Route Details - The Route Details button will bring up the step by step instructions for the route which
can be scrolled through (Figure 8 left & center). The button on the top right (three connected dots) of
the Route Details screen will allow the text instructions to be shared using a variety of tools including
email (Figure 8 right). Clicking on one of the steps in the Route Details will bring up the maps and zoom
to that particular turn. Pressing and holding with bring up additional options such as Avoiding that turn.
Notes: clicking and holding the route panels (turn instructions or turn arrow) in Navigation Mode will
also bring up the Route Details.
Press & Hold to
Show/Avoid
Scroll Up
Figure 8. Route Details (left & center), Sharing tool selected (right)
The other buttons on the map menu will allow the user to set up different routes or change the display.
The New Route button will bring back the search screen to type in an address or select from recent
ones.
Points of Interest (POI)
The Points of Interest button will bring up a way to search through gas stations, truck stops, weigh
stations, etc. This page can also be accessed through the search screen, clicking the magnifying glass,
and then swiping left to go from typing an address to searching points.
POI Search - There will be two boxes on top to select the area you want to search around and also the
category of points to search (Figure 9 left). Search either nearby or enter a location to search then select
one of the categories. For example, typing in "Sturbridge, MA" and selecting "Truck Stops" will bring up
the results in Figure 9 (center). The list can be scrolled through and choosing a point will start calculating
a route to there.
Additional Info - Certain categories will also display additional info. For example, Gas Stations will display
up to date gas prices, diesel, and whether they are open 24 hours. The truck stop category will have
several options to narrow your search. Clicking the icon to the right of the box with "Truck Stops" will
bring up the truck stop options. Check off as many of the options as needed and then tap outside the
white box and the search results will refresh with those options.
Figure 9. Select a POI category (left), POI results (center), Truck Stop options (right)
Program Settings
On the mapping menu options, Program Settings will bring up a variety of options shown below. Note:
the screen shots below show one feature selected at a time to avoid confusion. Many features can be
selected at once in the program.
Figure 10. Program Settings (scrolled through)
Auto Zoom - if selected, will zoom in when slowing down to show more local streets
Brightness - will switch from minimum brightness, to the device's brightness settings, to maximum
brightness, and finally to auto which will take into account the amount of sunlight.
Buildings - shows a 3D outline of buildings when zoomed into particular cities (Figure 12)
GPS Quick Lock - uses cellular to get a GPS lock quicker (although it gives less accuracy)
Head Up - when selected will show the direction of travel ahead. If unselected it will show north ahead.
There is also a tilt feature which puts the map at a 3D angle to view more roads ahead.
☑
Head Up
☑
Tilt Map
☒ Head Up
Figure 11. Head up not selected (left), selected (center), tilt selected (right)
Points of Interest - allows different categories of truck specific points to be displayed
☒ Buildings
☑
Buildings
Points of Interest
Figure 12. Display without buildings (left) and with buildings (center), Points of Interest (right)
Satellite - overlays routes, points, etc on satellite images
Scale - shows scale bar when not navigating
Traffic - displays traffic lines over roads - green (minimal traffic), yellow (moderate), red (heavy)
Weather - displays weather icons (sunny, rain, snow) for major areas
☑
Satellite
☑
Traffic
☑
Weather
Figure 13. Satellite selected (left), Traffic selected (center), Weather selected (right)
Auto Reroute - automatically calculates a new route if you drive off the current route
Cycle Panel Info - cycles the right panel every couple of seconds to display additional information about
the route
Metric - directions, panel info, and vehicle settings will change from English units to metric
Odometers - displays total mileage. Note: a free state odometer add on can be found here:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teletype.smarttruckaddon&hl=en
Speed Limit Warning - gives a voice warning that you are exceeding the current highway's speed limit
Voice - enables voice turn-by-turn and other announcements
Wear - brings up options for Smartwatch warnings (an add on). More info can be found here:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teletype.smarttruckaddon2&hl=en
Route Type - brings up route options (Figure 4)
Tolls - brings up toll options (Figure 4)
Tracking - allows vehicles to be tracked. Please follow the onscreen instructions or read how it works
here: http://www.smarttruckroute.com/track/tracking-introduction.html
Vehicle - brings up the vehicle options (Figure 4)
Voice Commands - brings up a list of commands that can be spoken into the microphone
Data Usage - brings up the data usage chart for the app
Reset Tips & Messages - will make tips and messages reappear like when the app is first used
License & Disclaimer - tap for more information
Support - tap to send a message to SmartTruckRoute support
Version - displays the version of your app as well as the devices serial number
For the most up to date commonly asked questions and answers please visit:
http://smarttruckroute.com/Android-FAQ.htm
You can also access the same information by installing the SmartTruckRoute app and tapping on "Help"
from the map screen.
Support:
From within the SmartTruckRoute app: Program Settings > Support > Tap to Proceed. The system will
offer to connect you via text message (SMS) or by Email. Use Email when possible as the message
generates more helpful information allowing the technical support staff to assist you more easily. Once
the message has been created, tap Send.
Text Message to: (786) 445-0822
Telephone: (617) 542-6220
Email: [email protected]
Developer website: www.smarttruckroute.com